Active COVID-19 cases in Hamilton climb over 600 ahead of new restrictions

Active cases of COVID-19 in Hamilton have climbed over the 600 mark, a day before more local restrictions come into effect to stop the spread of the virus. 

There are 604 people in the city who are confirmed to have the virus right now, which is 72 more than Saturday. 

Four more people have also died, bringing total deaths to 98. There are 2,854 resolved cases. 

Additional local restrictions put in place by Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, the city's medical officer of health, begin on Monday for malls and workplaces. 

Other new local regulations, established under the province's Reopening Ontario Act, also took effect just past midnight on Saturday.

Among the new rules are reduced capacity restrictions and screening outside the entrances of workplaces. 

The city currently has 24 ongoing outbreaks.

The outbreak at Grace Villa has increased to 78 people, with nine more residents and one more staff member infected. There are 47 residents and 31 staff members with the virus right now. 

The outbreak at Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre in its E3 and B3 units has infected six patients and two staff. 

One more resident at Chartwell Willowgrove has COVID-19, bringing total cases of the virus there to 90, including 57 residents, 31 staff and two visitors. 

The outbreak at First Place Hamilton retirement home was declared as over on Friday. 

Haldimand-Norfolk

There have been 677 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Haldimand and Norfolk as of Sunday, including 28 that are active and 612 that are recovered.

Thirty-two deaths are related to COVID-19.

Niagara

The region has recorded 2,297 cases over the course of the pandemic, which is 65 more than on Friday. 

Of those, 234 are active and 1,976 are resolved.

The number of people infected with COVID-19 who have died in Niagara rose to 87 on Friday.

There are 13 outbreaks ongoing.

A worker at Zehrs in St. Catharines has also tested positive for the virus, according to the database of its parent-company, Loblaw.

The store is located at 221 Glendale Ave, and the employee last worked on Nov. 29. 

Brant

There have been 11 new cases reported in Brant and Brantford over the past 24 hours.

The area has reported 554 confirmed cases and five deaths throughout the pandemic.

Fifty-nine cases were active on Sunday, while 490 are resolved.

Seven people with the virus are in hospital.

Halton

The number of COVID-19 cases in Halton rose by 118 over the weekend to 4,041.

Statistics on the region's website show 368 of those are active, while 3,601 are resolved.

Eighteen of the new cases are in Burlington, which has 107 active cases.

Five more people in Halton have died since Friday, bringing the number of deaths to 72.